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Why I Tri
OK everyone. Thought I might help break in the new forums by posing a light hearted question. I am putting together a series of motivational statements that I'm going to compile with some pictures and make into a poster for the pain cave. I'm going to call it "Why I Tri". I would love to hear if anyone has any motivational sayings, quotes, etc. that I might be able to add. They can be sayings that express why you tri, or sayings that reflect not why you tri. I'll give you a couple of examples of what I have come up with so far and then hopefully I can get a few more ideas. Once it's done, I'll post the finished product.
Thanks!
I do not tri so I can selfishly eat or drink anything I want.
I tri to push the limits of what my body can, or should, do.
Thanks!
I do not tri so I can selfishly eat or drink anything I want.
I tri to push the limits of what my body can, or should, do.
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There's a great motivational quote from a John Legend song that I just love, and I have it written on a whiteboard in my pain cave. It is:
"Don't be afraid of a little bit of pain; pleasure is on the other side".
It helps me out sometimes.
"A body in motion tends to stay in motion"
That has helped me keep going on cold mornings when I don't want to get out of the warm bed and during the dark moments in races when my body just wants to shut down.
"Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever."
I also love what Kristin added from John Legend, love that song
I don't have a saying or a quote, but the reason I tri leads back to my one thing! Follow me for a minute:
1) My wife and son are the most important thing to me.
2) I got the short end of a "genetic stick" resulting in Diabetes and the Big C.
3) Need a healthy lifestyle.
4) Triathons are a challenge, support healthy lifestyle and are fun!
5) Ultimately....my one thing....my family!
Tri to Survive
Tri to not get my butt kicked by my two sons when they are older!
My favorite is: " I do today what you won't, so I can do tomorrow what you can't!!!"
I heard another quote recently that was meant for something other than sport but since I relate everything to triathlon I gave it my own meaning and I really like it.
" The greatest cause of unhappiness in life is giving up what you want MOST for what you want now."
This could be a new definition for discipline
On those days that training and the workouts are difficult I remember:
"Champions Train Losers Complain"
I was motivated to when I went to watch my Aunt run Kona... The atmosphere there was amazing and the people were awesome. So watching my aunt finish then the people racing to get there before midnight motivated me greatly and since then decided i needed to quit saying how much I would like to do triathlons and an ironman and get out and do it! So a year later I have finished rehabbing a torn ACL, learned to swim (kinda), started running and riding again. AND FOUND ALL OF YOU GUYS! Love it here in the HAUS!
Sorry no quotes Just a story!
These are my favorites so far, but everyone's are good. I found a couple more:
“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ''Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.''" - Muhammad Ali
Winners do it until they get it right. Champions do it until they never get it wrong.
"There will come a day when this is no longer possible.  Today is not that day." 
I hate to post quotes without giving kudos the author, but I've had this one since college and have lost that info along the way.
Great post idea! 
Because I can.
Dave
In the words of the lyricist Gang Starr:
Are you working?
What kind of work do you do?.
("Boy what is it you want to do when you grow up?)
I'm gonna be on ti dop that's all my eyes can see
Victory is mine yeah surprisingly
I've been laying waiting for your next mistake
I put in work and watch my status escalate
I like to think of "WorK' as the EN theme song. What do I want to be when I grow up? My best. How do I win races? Showing up and executing like a ninja. Time and rank are other people's measuring sticks.
In the words of Chris Carmichael "If it were easy, anyone could do it."
I tri . . . because I choose to.
(apologies that I don't know the source of the quote above)
"Suck it up, buttercup!" - Me
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, WOW, what a ride!"
- Anonymous
I've always seen that attributed to George Carlin. Regardless, love it!
Mike
Ok, I'll take a shot here.
1) The sport requires both respect and humility, the latter of which I always need more of. The process helps to keep me in my place, helps me to be less complacent as well. It requires a certain level of humility to watch some pretty amazing people do what they do every day and be comfortable enough to throw your stats in the pool with the these guys at the same time. I respect both the veterans for what they do and the less experienced (like myself) that keep trying, digging deep every day to make an inch of progress.
2) Drugs, maybe that should be number 1, but frankly I like/need the daily dose of endorphins! Let's face it, I'm not here because I'm fast enough to win one of these things.
3) I have 4 kids. It sends a powerful, lasting message for those kids to see Dad coming across that finish line during an IM or working through a tough TP interval on the bike. It is a statement that you can achieve great things through working smart and hard over a long period of time. Nothing of worth/value ever comes easy.
"You can quit and no one will say they care, but you will always know." John Collins
"It's a line you have to cross to understand"
As far as why I tri, it's a challenge. I like finding challenges, setting goals, and accomplishing them. Basically I find something I thing is crazy and I set out to do it.
Unfortunatly, my typical attention span lasts about 3-5 years as I usually have reached my goal by then and I move on to a new challenge. I've been doing this endurance sports thing for longer but I don't think I have found my limits yet so I'm still into it for the moment.